Dangerous Plants I

These carnivores are among the most frightening dangers of the wild, as if nature were letting plants take revenge on the animals that eat them.

Also called strangler vine, this olive-green vine has a main trunk 1 to 2 feet thick and four branch vines per 10 feet, each creeping 5 yards per round toward light and heat. It gains 1 hp per Hit Die for every 20 feet of main vine, and each branch gets 2 hp per 20 feet, tracked separately. The smallest is 20 feet long with 25 hp and eight 2-hp branches; the largest is 160 feet with 200 hp and 64 branches of 16 hp. Main vine AC 6, branches AC 5.

Up to four branches may seize one target. A bend bars/lift gates roll frees the victim; failing that, only cutting the holding vine works. Held victims take 1d4 per round and have a 10% chance each round of being strangled, dying after one round of it. Torch fire does nothing, but hotter flames such as burning oil harm it and drive it back. Cold deals only 1 hp per die but stuns struck sections for 1d4+1 rounds. Electricity deals no damage and doubles its speed for 1d4+1 rounds.

A giant relative of the Venus flytrap, the mantrap is a huge bush with tall purple flower stalks above broad ground-level leaves. By day it releases pollen nonstop, and anyone within 60 feet who fails a save vs. poison walks willingly into one of its 1d4+1 leaf traps, which then seal shut with no escape until the plant is destroyed. Its acid deals damage each round equal to the victim's AC, ignoring Dexterity, with a minimum of 1, and exposed items save every round (metal at +2). The enchantment lasts 24 hours, but smoke from burning the plant breaks it. The nectar is used in philters of love.

The retch plant, or globe palm, resembles a palm tree with 1d4+4 tight, coconut-sized globes of blue, violet or lilac at its crown. Walking beneath gives a 20% chance one falls; striking or climbing the trunk drops 1d4+1 at random targets (AC 10 against them). Each globe bursts in a 5-foot splash, with a 25% chance to hit anyone 5 to 9 feet away. With no save, those splashed vomit for three rounds and have half Strength for an hour. The smell carries 50 feet for 1d4 hours unless washed off with alcohol, and until then encounter checks are twice as frequent and twice as likely to succeed.

Called foresters' bane, this low bush offers plump, tasty, nourishing greenish-white berries. Ribbed dark green leaves reach 5 to 7 feet out and hide 1d4+2 thorny purple saw-stalks (six when healthy). The leaves snap shut on one or two creatures who step among them, ignoring armor but not Dexterity or magical bonuses; a Strength check pulls free. Anyone caught, even briefly, is cut by each saw-stalk for 1d4+1 per round, with Dexterity not counting but armor and magic applying. Saw-stalks are AC 4 with 1d8+16 hp each, leaves AC 7 with 1d8+8, apart from the central bush's Hit Dice. The bush is AC 9 but untouchable while the leaves are raised; a held victim can strike it or the stalks with small piercing weapons. Parts regrow in 2d4 weeks unless the bush dies.

This spidery white plant, about 8 feet across, hugs the ground and bears pale yellow, dew-coated flowers. Once per round it showers everything within 30 feet with thorns, hitting automatically for 2d4, and its supply seems endless. Sticky sap covers stem and leaves: anyone touching it with Strength 13 or less is stuck until freed or digested, while stronger characters break loose in 1d4 rounds, and trapped victims take 1d3 acid per round. With no other defense, thornslingers grow in clusters in pits, unreachable caves or on stone walls. They resist burning: flame does normal damage but goes out after a round, and oil burns two rounds.

Green stalks topped by trumpet flowers, usually orange, yellow and red, work as a team. The orange bloom shoots 2d4 pollen tendrils 3 feet long; a hit requires a save vs. poison or the target falls into a coma for 1d4 hours. Guided by the roots, the yellow bloom bends down and drips enzyme dealing 2d4 per round until washed off (each flask of water reduces it by 1, full immersion clears it in a round). The red bloom then drives in tendrils and drains fluids for 1d6 per round.

This pale green, ivy-leaved climber spreads up to 20 feet square from one bulbous root, with 1d4 dark green buds and 2d6 yellow flowers splashed with purple. Only damage to the root counts, since the vine regrows. Creeper and zombie both ignore charm, hold, illusion, sleep and other mental attacks. When prey comes within 10 feet, the flowers puff musk; a failed save vs. spell sends the victim walking to the plant, fighting off anyone who interferes. A green bulb then roots into the skull, reaching the brain in two rounds and draining 1d4 Intelligence per round.

At 0 or less the victim dies; at 1 or 2 they become a zombie. If the plant dies first, Intelligence returns at 1 point per day or instantly with heal. A zombie whose creeper is destroyed can be cured with neutralize poison, then heal and four weeks of rest. Only man-sized humanoids can become zombies, one per two flowers. A zombie has yellow skin and a glassy stare but otherwise keeps its looks, gear, weapon and hit points, attacking as a 2 HD monster without spells or ability bonuses. It stays within 100 feet of the creeper and cannot be turned, not being true undead. After about two months it wanders at least 200 feet off and dies as the seedling in its head sprouts into a new creeper.